Territory



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

- J. M. BROWNING v GAS OPE-RATED MACHINE GUN. .No. 544,658. Patented Aug. 20, 1895-.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. BROWNING. GAS OPERATED MACHINE GUN.

Patented Aug. 20

, i .WMHW w H N AWN 3 Sheets-Sheet s.

Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

J. M. BROWNING. GAS OPERATED MACHINE GUN.

(N0 Model.)

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, UNITED S ATES PATENT O FI E.

JOHN BROWNING, 0F OGDEN, UTAH TERRITORY.

eAs-oPhRA'r ao mAcHiNa-euml V d I I SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 544,658, dated August 20,1895.

Application filed March 16. mos. Serial No- 4 a,o2e, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, J OHN M. Baownme, of Ogden, in the county of Weber and Territory 'otUtah, have invented a new Improvement 5 in Machine-Guns;and I do hereby declare the following-when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters 0!? ref- 1 erence marked thereon, to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-- 5 Figure 1, a view in side one form which a machine-gun containing my invention maj' assume; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3,9. view of the gun in substanshowing -the parts of the gunin the adjustments' due to them just before firing; Fig. 4,

a similar view showing the said parts in the moved into in consists in a. machinergun having certain details positions which they are sequence ot'the explosion of a cartridge in thev gun; Fig. 5, an enlarged detached reverse plan view of the brelech-block;'Fig. 6, a detached plan view otT-tihe trigger-and'sear;'- Fig.

side of the forward portion. of the trigger broken away; Fig. 8, an enlarged view in 'vertical transverse section 3, and showing in particular:the operating 3o slide iii-its relations to the breech-block, the carrier, and the firing-lever, all of which it operates; Fig. 9, a similar view on the line y 'y of Fig. 3, and showing inparticula'r'the breech-block; Fig. 10,8. similar view on the 5 5 line z z of Fig. 3, and showing in particular the feed-wheel from which-the cartridges are fed to the breech-block; Fig. 11,-an enlared lgfi;

' detached plan view of the firing-hammer;

12,8. similar view of the carrier; Fig. 13,;an, edge view of a section of the cartridge-carry -ingb'lt. I

My Invention relates to an improvement in machine-guns of that class in which the gases produced in 'tlie explosi'omot the cartridges 5 are utilized in operating the mechanism of the gun, so that the cartridges are continu-- .ously and automatically fed into it, egr'ploded, and ejected. 4

' My present upon two guns of the same class'for'wh'ich I States Patent Office, the same now have applications pending in the United having been t v swinging-movement. elevation showing 7, aview thereof in side elevation with one on the linear a: of Fig.

.in movement by a p v thereof. invention is.an improvement serially, numbered 445,651 and, 451,18l, respectively. In thegun disclosed by the' first of those applications the breech-block was suspended. at its forward end, soas to have,

an up anddown'movement in its vertical 3 plane, in addition to a longitudinatreciprocal movement, while in ..the second of those applications the breechblock was arranged to have,in addition to its longitudinal reciprocal movement, a lateral In my present improvement block is confine to longitudinal reciprocal movement andthe-object of my invention is to simplify and improve the mechanism of the tin, with particular 'reference to its breechthe gun shown by the breech block, the operating-connections thereof,'the

firing-hammer, the firing-lever, the carrier, the operating-slide,

and the. trigger and sear. With these ends in view my invention con of construction and combinations of parts,-as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

As shown in Figs. land 2 b; thedrawin'g's,

my improved gun the said ribs taking into suitable longitudinal grooves termed for themim the receiver.

The firing-pinF, located in the said block, is

arranged at an acute angle to the longitudinal center of tbesamd, extending from one of the rear edges of the block tor-ward'to the center This arrangement of the firing-pin is made necessary by the construction and has a barrel 'A, areceiver 'B, a support 0, and a handlel), the saidpazrts,

arrangement of the firing-hammer, as will appear later on. The rib e of the block is constructed with alongitudiual groove, which reformed at one of its up .per edges, and a much widerlongitndinal'rib e, formed 'on itsopposite upper edge, both of.

ceives the secondary extractor or ejector e,

fspent cartridge-shells from the chamber a,

. spectively receiving studs G G, correspond-' "from the upper rear cornersof therespective members G G of the operating-slide,

' studs G G 'to swing the said l with the firing-pin F, and which is rectangular in cross-section, a rear arm L, circular in constructedand adapted to have its forward the'breech-block it is behind one edge there;

the function ofwhich is to draw and eject the .formed in the rear end of the gun;barrel. The blockalso carries the primary'extractor or feed-hook e which is located in -a finger E, depending from it and extending downward through the respective members G Got the operating-slide, as shown by Fig. 9 of thedrawings, the secondaryextractor being bet ter shown in Fig. 5. This primary extractor or feed-hook e is designed to extract the c fridges H from the cartridge-carrying belt H, which runs over the feed-wheelH; and Icall it the primary extractor or .feed-hook, to distinguish it from the secondary shell extractor or. ejector e, which draws the spent cartridges f rom theguh-barrehbecauee it procedes the same in performing itsfunction. as

to any one cartridge. The said breech block.

is provided upon itsunder face, at its rear end, with a lug E Fig. 5, bym'eans of which it is pivotally connected with the forward end of the forward link I, which'is pivotally connected at its rear end with the forward end of the rear link 1', which is at its rear end pivotally suspended in the receiver ona horizontal pin 1 For connecting the links I -I together the forward .link is bifurcated at its rear end,- as shown by Fig. 8 .of the drawings. The rear link is provided in its opposite faceskwith two longitudinal slots 1 I", located directly opposite "otherand'rw' ing to eachother and extending inwardly the said members being provided "upon their outer faces with corresponding longitudinal ribs 9 g, which take into grooves bb, formed to re-' When the said slide is itoperates through. the said rear and forward links into the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, whereby the b reech-block is drawn back into its full open position and the firing-hammer pushed. back into-its cocked position, in'which it is engaged by the trigger J and the sear K. ,The said hammer consists of; a forward arm L,(see Fig. 12,) which' engages at its forward end -moved rearward,

cross-section, extending backward into the longitudinal bore-B formed in the receiver to contain the coiled ham mer-spring L, which encirclesthe forward end of the said-arm L .and a beveled hammer-head L ,1ocated between and connecting thesaid arms L and L, extending transversely to both of them, and

end engaged by the trigger J andsear K. It will be noticed that the forward arm L of the hammer is set off to one side of itsiear arm L, so that instead of being centrally behind of. This necessitates thepeculiar arrangetrigger J has its forward end bifurcated to receive the sear K, which is hung in the said bifurcation on a horizontal pin 10, Fig. 7, the forward ends of,the trigger and sear being adapt them to havelike' engagement with the hammer-bead L before mentioned.

Thespring J, Fig. 3, isijl'ongitudinally split for independent engagement with the trigger and sear, so that the'same may operate independently. The said sear is provided for its'independent is engaged by the reararm M of t he-firinglever, which is hung within the lower portion vof the rear end of the receiver on a horizon;

tal pin m, downward at its extreme forward end, as shown by Figs.'3 and4 of the drawings.

The carrier N of the gun has itsrear portion bowed downwardly, and is hung in the pin n, located just in front of the forward ends of the trigger and sear.

the operating-slide, its forwardend being straight and forming a horizontal table, onto mary extractor or feed-hook ehcarried by the breech-block from the belt 11. The downvided with 9. lug N, having its forward end beveled, as shown by Fig. 12 of the drawings. This log 'co-operates with alongit in the lower rear corners of the two members GG of the operating-slide, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 8 of the drawings,

outer end being engaged by a'spring G vertically arranged and secured to one of the said members G G of the operating-slide, the

G, as shown by Fig.8 of the .ceive the. operating-lug N. (Shown by Figs. .3, 4, and 12 of the drawings. When the said operating-slide is moved rearward, and just before it reaches. the limit of its said movement, the beveled forward end of the lug N engages with the pin G and pushes the same to one side against the force ofthe spring G drawings, to reupon its forward end is presented in front of constructed with corresponding hooks to itsforward arni M being bent.

The carrier ex-- tends forward between the members G G of -wardly=howed rear end of the carrier is pro-' bottom of which is constructed with a groove Now, when the slide moves forment of thefiring-pin before referred to. The r which operates the trigger,

operation-with a depending finger K, which rear portion of the receiver on a horizontal which the cartridges are drawn by the pri- 5 udinally; movable pin or firing projection G mounted v and extending at a right angle to the slide and carrier, its l .which snaps the pimback into its normal po-- 4 which will then be forced the breech-block E, which is at this timeopen in position to be engaged by the same and pushed into the chamber a, formed to re-l ceive it in the butt of the gun-barrel A. The height to which the forward end of the car rier will be lifted depends of course upon the depth of the lug N, which will be proportioned rightly. Just before the operatingslide reaches the limit of its forward movement the said movable pin or firing projection G engages with the'downwardly-bent forward end of the arm M, of the firing-lever, whereby the upwardly-extending rear .on its pin k, so as diameter than the diameter of a pin arm M thereof is borne t fi K down upon the opera tugnger of the sear K, which turns to have its hooked forward end disengaged from the hammer-head L'.

The automatic'operating mechanism of the gun, as well as the feeding mechanism therefor, may be of any approved form and construction. As herein shown, the gun-barrel is constructed with a radial downwardly-extending opening a, through which the gases of explosion will issue with considerable force aftera cartridge has been fired, the said opening being surrounded by a circular housing A, fixed to the lower face of the gun-barrel, and constructed with a forwardly-inclined opening a, registering with the outer end of the opening a. and made somewhat larger in O, which enters the said opening and normally stands against theopening a'in the gnu-barrel. The

said pin 0 is pivotally secured at its opposite end to a lever O', hung on a horizontal pin 0, located in the extreme forward end of the forward extension B of the receiver B of the gun. An operating-rodP is hinged at its forward end to the lever O, by a pin 12, and at its rear end by a pin p to the forward end of the operating-slide, the extreme forward ends of the members G' G thereof being'thereto constructed with depending ears 9', which support the opposite ends of the said pin 1).

A spiral spring Q, Q,

located within a cylinder fixed to the said extension B of the re- 1 ceiver B, is connected at its forward end by a chain qwith the extreme rear end of the lever O',.and operates to throw the same back into its normal position in which the pin 0 enters theopenin g a formed in the housing A. The slide is therefore moved back when the lever O'is turned backward on its pivot by the gases of explosion and forward by the spring Q. This movement of the slide is utilized to operatethe feeding mechanism. Thereto I employ a lever R, hung at itslower end on a horizontal pivot v, located in the extension B of the receiver, the'upper end of the said lever being arranged to be engaged with the operating-slide a'nd clearance being provided for it by means of a recess A, formed in the gnu-barrel. The lower end of the lever R carries a small pawl R, which engages with the pins sof a ratchet-wheel S, mounted upon the forward end of the shaft T of the feedwheel H over which passes the belt H, constructed with pockets to receive the cartridges '3 x H. The said s'haftT has hearing at its opposite ends in the receiver B and in'tlie ex tension B thereof. An opening U, Figs. 1 and 10, formed in one of the the sides of the receiver, is provided for admitting the said belt to the said wheel, while an opening U, formed on the opposite side of the receiver, Figs. 9 and 2, permits the cartridges to be ejected from the arm as fast as they are extracted by the secondary extractor e, carried by the breech-block; The-automatic feeding apparatus justdescribed will befound to be fully illustrated augmd escribed in my pending application, file numbered 451,181. Ido not, however, limit myself to these particular mechanisms in connection with my improved features with which other ,mechanisms for accomplishing the same purpose might also be used, if .de-

- n Fig. 8 of the drawings I have indicated by broken lines a handle V, to show where a handle'mightbe attached to the operatingslide for moving the same manually in' case it was desired to fire blank cartridges not affording suflicien-t gases of explosion to operate the gun automatically.

Having now described my improved gun in detail I will proceed to set forth the method of its operation. .Assumingthata cartridge has'just been fired, the gases of its explosion, issuing through the opening a. in the .gun-

barrel, will act upon the pin O, was to turn the lever O on itspivot ()"until the said lever is almost reversed in position, as shown ay 7, 1892, and serially.

ICO'

by. Fig. 4 of thedrawings. This movement of the lever 0' causes the operating-rod P to be thrown back and that in turn pushes the operating-slide back. As the operating-slide moves back, the lever B is raised and its pawl R depressed so as to assover one of the pins 8 of the wheel S; also as the operating-slide moves back its studs G'- G, acting through the rear and forward links I I, draw the breech-block E back into its open position, as shown by Fig.4 of the drawings. When the links I and I are being swung rearward, as just set forth, the lower edge of the rear link I engages with the beveled face of the head L of the hammerand pushes the same back into its cocked position, in which it is engaged by the trigger and the sear, .or by the sear alone in case the trigger is held back out of the way. Just before the oper sting-slide reaches the limit of its rear movement the beveled forward end of the depending lug of the carrier engages with the movable stud G', mounted in the slide, and pushes the same to one side against the force of the spring G. .Then when the slide reaches the limit of its rear movement the said stud snaps back of the rear end of the said lug. Now when the slide begins to move forward, its stud G will engage with the said rear end of the lug'N' of the carrier and lift the carrier'from its charging position, in which it is rken lines in Fig. 4 thereof. Assuming now it in the described rear movement of the :ech-block its primary extractor or feed- )k e engaged with a cartridge H in the .t H and drew the same back onto the deissed forward end of the carrier, the said cardge will be lifted into'range with the gunrrel. As the slide moves forward, it will optte through its studs G G and the rear and ward linksI and I to move the breech-block .0 its closed position. In this movement of e breech-block the said cartridge will be shed forward into the chamber a, provided r it in the gun-barrel. As the slide moves rward also, the lever R is pushed forward, iereby its pawl R is lifted against one of e pins s of the wheel S, whereby the feed 1691 is rotated and another cartridge ought into position to be engaged by the *imary extractor or feed -hok e of the 'eech-block. Then just before the slide aches the limit of its forward position its ovable stud G will engage with the downardly-bent extremity of the forward arm M the firing-lever, elevating 'the said arm of ie lever and depressing its rear arm' M, which ill in turn co-operate with the arm K'- of le sear, so as to disengage the same from the sad L of the firing-hammer, which will at nce be thrown forward by the' hammerring L and its forward arm L impinged gainst the rear end of the firing-pin F, which 111 in turn strike the cartridge and cause its zplosion. The gases of explosion derived the barrel and the receiver thereof, of a. hammer, means for cooking the same, a trigger having its forward end bifurcated and adapted to engage with the hammer, a scar located in the bifurcation of the trigger and having a downwardly projecting operating fin ger,a firing-lever engaging with the said finger of the sear to operate the same, and germs for operating the said firing-lever, subantialiy as described. 2. In a machine gun, the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof, of an opcrating-slide carrying a movable pin,'a spring for yieldingly holding the same in place, and a pivotal carrier provided with 2. lug constructed at its forward end with a bevel, and whereby the said pin is pushed aside by the lug when the slide is moved back, but compels'the lug to ride over it and raise the carrier when the slide is moved forward substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine gun, the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof, of aham-' o mer, means for cocking the same, a trigger, a scar having a depending operating-finger, an operating-slide and a pivotal firing-lever having its rear arm adapted to engage with the said finger to disengage thesear from the hammer, and having its forward arm adapted to engage with the slide when the same is moved forward so as to be elevated thereby, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine gun, the combination with too the barrel and the receiver thereof, 0f-a ham- :om the firing of this cartridge will again perate the lever O, which will in turn push me operating-slide back to the limit of its ear movement, and so on, the automatic firigof the gun continuing so longas cartridges re fed to it. It will be understood, however, hat when the gun is being automatically fired ts triggerJ is heldin position so'that it will lot engage with the head L of the hammer. )n the other hand, if it is desired to fire the trm manually, its operating-slide may be dis- :onnected at its forward end from the autonatic firing mechanism andthe trigger al-. owed to engage with the head L. of the hamner every time the same is cocked. Then the ilide is operated by its handle V with one Jand, while the trigger is held back by the ither hand, or the trigger may be tied back and the slide operated by either hand. 1

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to. usingthe particular devices which I have shown and described herein as new in connection with the automatic firing and feeding mechanism, which I have also illustrated and described, but hold myself at liberty to use my improved devices where available in this class of arms and to modify them in form and arrangement within the spirit ands'ope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, is-

mer, means for cocking the same, a trigger, a sear having a depending operating-finger, 'an operating-slide, and a pivotal firing-lever havin g its rear end adapted to engage with the to 5 said finger to depress the scar, and having its forward end turned down to be engagedby the slide, and elevated when the same is moved forward, substantially as described. 5. In a 'machinegun, the combination with I to the barrel and the receiver thereof, of ahammer, a trigger, a scar having adepending operating-finger, a breech-block, a pivotal carrier, a pivotal firing-lever engaging with the sear to disengage the same from the hammer, 1 t5 and an operating-slide constructed to operate both the firing-leVer'and the carrier when it is moved forward, substantially as described.

6. In a machine gun, the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof, of a breechx 3 block, a' hammer, an operating-slide, connection between the said slide and the breechblock, a movablestud located in the slide, a spring for yieldingly holding the said stud in place, a trigger and a sear, both adapted to have corresponding engagement with the hammer, and the sear having .a depending operating finger, a pivotal carrier adapted to to be engaged and lifted by the said movable and a firing-lever adapted at its rear end to engage with the operating finger of the sear, and to he engaged at as forward end by the 1. In a machine gun,the combination with said stud in the forward movement of the stud in the forward movement of the slide,

I slide, substantially as described,\and whereby .receiverbelow thesaid slide and links, the ,IS

the said stud in the forward movement of the slide, lifts the carrier and operates the firinglever to disengage the sear from the hammer.

7. In a machine-gun, the combination with the barrel and thereceiver thereof, of abreechblock, a longitudinally movable hammer located in the rear thereof, an operating slide, links connecting the said block and the rear end of the slide, and located between the hammer and the'block and above the slide, and a carrier pivoted in' the rear end of the saidslide being constructed to permit the forward end of the carrier to be-lifted up through it into range with r the gu'n-barrel,

substantially as set forth.

8. ha machine-gun, the combination with the barrel and receiver thereof, of a longitudinally movable hammer, a breech-block, an operating slide, a primary link pivoted at its forward end to the rear end of the block, .a secondary link pivoted at its rear end in the receiver' at a point above the hammer, pivotally connected at its forward end with the rear end of the primarylink, and constructed with an elongated slot, and connection between the rear end of the slide and the said secondary link through the slot therein, substantially as described.

9."In' a machine gun, the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof, of abreechblock, an operating-slide, links connecting the said block and slide, whereby the former isrciprocated back and forth in the receiver, and a hammer constructed and arranged to be engaged by one of the said links as the operating slide is moved backward, and forced :back into its cocked position, substantially as described. i

10. In a machine gun,the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof, of a breechblock, a firing-pin located therein and emerging from its rear end at one side of the center thereof, a hammer having its forward arm located toone side of its rear arm in position to engage with the said rear end of the firing pin, and means for operating the breech-block, substantially as described,

11; In a machine-gun, the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof, of abreechblock,means for operating the same, a hammer having aforward and a rear arm located ont-ofline with each other, and a head ber head of the hammer, and a firing-pin located in the breech-block in position to be engaged by theoffsetting forward arm of the hammer, substantially as described.v

12. In a machine-gun, the combination with the barrel and the receiver thereof,of abreechblock, a longitudinally movable hammer,'.a carrier pivoted at its rear end, an operating slide furnished at its upper end with two inwardly projecting studs located above the for ward end of the carrier, and constructed to into rangeavith the gun-barrel, a primary link pivoted at its forward end to the rear end of the breech block, a secondary link pivoted in .the receiver at a .point above the hammer,

the rear end of the primary link, and constructed in its opposite faces with two corresponding elongated .slots which receive the inwardly projecting studs of the slide, substantially as set forth.

13. In a machine gun, the combination with the barrel of a reciprocating breech-block, a slide actuating the breech block, a hammer, a trigger engaging said hammer when the hammer is in cocked position, a sear normally held in position to prevent the forward movement of the hammer, and a firing lever engaging with said sear and also engaging with the slide, whereby said slide in extreme forward position causes the firing lever to actuate the sear to release the hammer, substantially as set forth.

14. In a machine gun, the combination with the barrel and receiver, of a breech block, a slide actuating the breech block, a hammer, a trigger engaging said hammer when the hammer is in cocked position, a sear-normally held in position to engage said hammer and prevent the forward movement thereof, a firing projection on the slide, and a firing lever medially pivoted at the side of the receiver, said lever at itsrear end engaging said scar and at its forward end engaging with said firing projection of the slide, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHN M. BROWNING. Witnesses:

JOHN E. RAMSDEN, KATE LINE LAW.

structed for direct engagement withtheisaid pivotally connected at its forward end with permit the same-to be lifted up through it IOC 

